Piper PA24 accident near Midland, Michigan, September 1, 2020
On September 1, 2020 at about 4:45 pm local time, a 1959 Piper PA24, registered N5939P, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Midland, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2020 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Midland, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA24, built 1959 · all PA24s on the register
- Registration
- N5939P · no longer on the register · serial 24-1029
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported he and the pilot-rated passenger departed on the first flight of the day with the right fuel tank full of fuel and the left fuel tank partially full. He did not state which fuel tank they had selected for the flight which lasted about 30 minutes, but that the pilot-rated passenger flew this leg. He stated they made a full stop landing, taxied back for another takeoff, and after the second landing they taxied to the fuel pumps where they added 18 gallons of fuel to the left fuel tank. The pilot reported that he has little recall of the accident portion of the flight, but that he was likely flying this portion of the flight. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast data indicated that the airplane took off and climbed straight ahead to an altitude of about 2,550 ft mean sea level (msl). It then began a right turn back towards the departure airport. The last recorded data point showed the airplane at an indicated altitude of 675 ft msl. The airplane struck a fence and a large grass-covered mound of dirt before it came to rest upright. A witness on the ground heard the pilot state over the radio that they had lost engine power and would perform a forced landing. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. The fuel selector valve was selected to the right fuel tank. The right fuel tank bladder was intact and did not contain any fuel. The fuel lines on the right side were also empty of fuel. There was no evidence of fuel staining or fuel blight on the right side of the airplane. The left fuel tank bladder was impact damaged and contained a small amount of fuel. Fuel blighting was observed under the left wing during recovery. In addition, fuel staining was observed under the left wing. The available evidence suggests that the engine lost power due to fuel starvation in that the right fuel tank was empty and the left tank contained an unknown amount of fuel at the time of the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Fuel starvation during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,015 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 600 hours in all; 80 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,953.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 16, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 2,899 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 49,534 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IKW Midland MI at 6:37 pm
- Destination: Y91 Lake City MI
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; scat at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from IKW, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
13 documents, released by the NTSB on September 30, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Examination Summary Statement | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Entire Flight | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Opsview from Takeoff to Accident | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Raw ADS-B Data - Accident Flight | data file | Download |
| 6 | Raw ADS-B Data - Previous Flight | data file | Download |
| 7 | Weather Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Fuel Receipt | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Maintenance Records Excerpts | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Accident Report Photographs | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
| 11 | Toxicology Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 12 | Certification of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 13 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.